International

China confirms “provisional agreement” with the Philippines to “de-escalate” maritime tensions

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China confirmed on Monday that it reached a “provisional agreement” with the Philippines to “de-escalate” the tensions around an atoll in the South China Sea that both countries claim and where violent ship collisions have occurred in recent months.

According to a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, both parties agreed to “jointly manage the differences on maritime issues and work for de-escalation” in this region, after reaching an understanding around the “humanitarian resupply of life supplies” of the Philippine contingent located in the Second Thomas atoll.

The agreement was reached after a meeting held by representatives of both countries on July 2, which led to more consultations and the establishment of a direct line of communication between the Philippine president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

One of the main points of friction between the two parties is related to the old Philippine ship Sierra Madre, straned with a military garrison in the Second Thomas since 1999 to claim the sovereignty of the atoll.

“We continue to demand that the Philippines tow the ship (Sierra Madre) and restore the state of Ren’ai Jiao (Second Thomas) from not housing personnel or facilities,” the Chinese Foreign Affairs spokesman said in a statement published in the early hours of Monday.

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If the Philippines needs to send life supplies to the ship’s personnel, China is willing to allow it with a “humanitarian spirit,” as long as Manila informs Beijing in advance and after an “on-site verification” has been carried out, according to the official text.

In the event that the Philippines sends “a large amount” of construction materials to the warship, or tries to build fixed facilities or a permanent post, “China will not accept it at all and will resolutely stop it in accordance with the law,” stressed the Chinese Foreign Affairs spokesman.

“China has sovereignty over Ren’ai Jiao and the rest of the Nansha Qundao (Spratly islands), as well as its adjacent waters,” the spokesman said.

The Philippines and China maintain a growing sovereignty dispute in the South China Sea, where in recent months clashes between ships from both countries have multiplied.

In addition to the Second Thomas atoll, Manila and Beijing are disputed for sovereignty over the Scarborough reef, near the Philippine island of Luzon, and several islands of the Spratly archipelago, where Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan also hold claims.

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Tensions between China and the Philippines have increased since Marcos Jr. came to power in 2022, who has strengthened his military alliance with the United States and expanded access to its bases to US troops, including some of strategic access to the China Sea or the self-governed island of Taiwan.

International

Trump signs order to end federal funding for NPR and PBS

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to halt federal funding for two public media outlets, PBS television and NPR radio, accusing them of being biased.

NPR and PBS are partially funded by American taxpayers but rely heavily on private donations.

Trump has long maintained a hostile relationship with most media outlets, which he has referred to as the “enemy of the people.”

An exception is the conservative Fox News channel, some of whose hosts have played important roles in the administration of the Republican magnate.

“National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) receive taxpayer funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB),” Trump said.

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“Therefore, I direct the CPB board and all executive departments and agencies to cease federal funding for NPR and PBS,” he added.

The Republican leader argued that “neither of these entities provides a fair, accurate, or impartial portrayal of current events to the taxpayer citizens.”

At the end of March, Donald Trump called on Congress to end public funding for these two “horrible and completely biased networks.”

International

Man arrested after deliberately driving into seven children in Osaka

Japanese police arrested a man on Thursday after he rammed his car into a group of seven schoolchildren in an apparent deliberate attack in the city of Osaka.

The children, who were on their way home from school, sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. All seven remained conscious, according to local authorities.

An Osaka police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the suspect is a 28-year-old man from Tokyo. The officer shared statements the man made after his arrest: “I was fed up with everything, so I decided to kill people by driving into several elementary school children,” the suspect reportedly said.

The man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

The injured children, aged between seven and eight, included a seven-year-old girl who suffered a fractured jaw. The six other children—all boys—suffered minor injuries such as bruises and scratches and were undergoing medical evaluation.

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Witnesses described the car as “zigzagging” before hitting the children. One witness told Nippon TV that a girl was “covered in blood” and the others appeared to have scratches.

Another witness said the driver, who was wearing a face mask, looked to be in shock when school staff pulled him from the vehicle.

Violent crimes are rare in Japan, though serious incidents do occur from time to time. In 2008, Tomohiro Kato drove a two-ton truck into pedestrians in Tokyo’s Akihabara district, then fatally stabbed several victims. Seven people were killed in that attack.

Internacionales

Clashes erupt during may day protests across France amid calls for better wages

May Day protests in France were marked by a heavy police presence and clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in several cities.

In Paris, Lyon, and Nantes, thousands took to the streets to demand better wages, fairer working conditions, and to voice their dissatisfaction with President Emmanuel Macron’s government.

While the majority of the demonstrations remained peaceful, isolated confrontations broke out in some areas. Protesters threw objects at the police, prompting the use of tear gas and resulting in several arrests.

Videos showing police crackdowns circulated widely on social media, drawing criticism from labor unions and human rights advocates, who denounced the authorities’ response to the protests.